


That Was That

by sassyericawithaflowercrown



Series: Building Something [1]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Grief, Guidance counselor Stiles, M/M, Middle school kids, Minor Character Death, Parent Death, Single Parents, Stiles and Scott are step brothers, Teen Angst, Werewolves exist, loss of a parent, parenting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-09-19
Updated: 2013-09-25
Packaged: 2017-12-27 02:03:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,147
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/972992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sassyericawithaflowercrown/pseuds/sassyericawithaflowercrown
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Derek stayed in New York just like he planned. The same routine fell back into place only with an extra face. Derek watched his niece grow up over short skype calls, hugged her a few times a year when they visited. He watched his sister age what seemed like years over a week’s time. But in the end the golden haired baby smiled, Laura smiled and Derek… Well he was happy too.</p><p>Thirteen years.<br/> <br/>He got thirteen years of his pseudo bliss; thirteen years of happy phone calls and a surface life of his own. He lived for the visits, smiled when the calls came. His own life was muted. He had something to focus on. He let himself hope. His family would be okay. He would be okay.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter one

**Author's Note:**

> Alrighty so this is my new work that is purely self indulgent. I wanted a cute fic with kid-beta's and some Sterek so this is what happened. This first chapter is going to be a bit angsty because well... gotta get the angst out of the way so good stuff. I'll explain a few things about this verse too.  
> Werewolves exist in this verse. They're not known and it's not really a big thing other than the Hale fire which still follows canon. But they are around.  
> Erica is Laura's daughter and Derek's niece. (like I said purely self indulgent) Isaac, Boyd, Jackson, Allison, and Scott are all around Erica's age- 13 and attend Erica's middle school. They're all in eight grade. Stiles is the schools guidance counselor and Lydia teachers science.  
> The Sherieff and Melissa got married.  
> Kate is not dead.  
> Peter hasn't woken up yet.  
> Aaaand that should about cover it. Other questions feel free to drop in the comments and I'll answer and stick 'em in the notes as well.  
> Thanks as always to my magnificent beta [Jesserfly](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Jesserfly)

He hadn’t been back to Beacon Hills in years.

He didn’t plan to ever make the trip either. He and Laura had fled California just after the fire, Laura a new alpha and both confused and broken hearted teens.

But they had started over; Laura when to college, Derek got his GED. They lived nicely enough. New York was a sort of safe haven and Derek was waiting for it to break. And eventually it did.

He had turned nineteen a couple months earlier and for some reason when he came home from work there was a coffee cake sitting on the table.

Laura smiled up at him.

“Wh-Did you eat dinner?” It was all Derek could think to ask.

“No. I thought we’d have something sweet instead.”

He sat down at the table, across from his sister, tenting his fingertips together and staring at her. She cut a piece of the cake and passed it to him. The scent of sugar hit his nose but he didn’t take his eyes off her for a second. She had made cake when she told their mom she wanted to go to College in New York. That was four years ago. Since then she graduated.

“I’m going back to Beacon Hills.” Laura offered as explanation. It wasn’t an idea or a question or a request. She had made up her mind. Possibly weeks ago. She was going back. “Peter’s starting to show positive signs. He may wake up.” It was a weak argument. Both of them had more or less expected their uncle to die in his burnt out hollow state. They never said it but they never hoped for better either.

“What’s the real reason?” His voice was quiet, defeated, and he didn’t bother looking up from his offered plate. He wasn’t even hungry.

“I miss it. I miss home.”

“I’m staying here.”

“I know,” She hadn’t offered to take him with her. Derek wouldn’t have if she did. He would stay in New York for the rest of his life, putting the entire country between him and his past mistakes. Maybe at some point he’d go farther. But never back.

And this?

This was Laura doing something for herself. This was Laura acting like Laura instead of the alpha of their destroyed pack, taking one chance to live the life he’d stolen from her. The one he stolen from everyone in their family. Laura needed to leave. Needed to go alone.

Derek wouldn’t stop her. Wouldn’t follow her, but wouldn’t stop her either.

That was that. She left three days later.

-x-

Oddly enough his routine didn’t change all that much. He worked at a nearby garage, came home, ate, slept, woke up and did it again. He and Laura still spoke. In fact they spoke more if possible. She would text him various things throughout the day, and on weekends they would sit on skype for hours at a time. On holidays she would fly back to New York and he would treat her to nights at nice restaurants, walks through time square, everything she missed when she left the big city. It was strained in the first year. But it worked. They were still a family.

Laura got pregnant.

Derek remembered her speaking about some man she met, an insurance investigator in town on business. They went on a few dates and were happy for a bit. Derek didn’t think much past that, not exactly excited to think about his older sister’s sex life. But sure enough Laura showed up at his apartment, sporting a belly that flashed second trimester like a neon sign and Derek let her in without a complaint.

She was still Laura. She was still his alpha. She was still his family. And he loved her. Loved her despite that she hadn’t told him until the moment she’d shown up. Loved her despite the fact he had to awkwardly shuffle a one night stand out the door when Laura showed up unannounced, glaring daggers at the woman he’d brought home from the bar. Derek didn’t say much to either of them. Janet… Jennifer? Whoever. She would understand. This was his sister.

Laura waltzed over to the couch the moment they were alone, kicking her feet up on the coffee table like she owned the place.

“So?”

“So…”

“It’s a girl.”

“And…” Derek had to pause, mind blanking for a moment.

“Steven?”

“And Steven?”

“Gone.”

Derek sat on the couch next to her and crossed his arms over his chest. “Okay.”

That was that.

-x-

Laura had stayed in New York for the time being, going back to her home only once to collect some things and inform work of her leave. It meant soon she was going back to Beacon and taking the girl with her. Derek tried not to think about it. Instead he dealt with Laura. He laughed quietly every time he opened a cabinet to find it suddenly over stuffed with random junk foods. She snapped at him about T.V. channels, staked claim over his mattress and sent him to sleep on the pull out couch, and filled the apartment floor to ceiling with parenting books.

On occasion the two would walk into stores like Babies-R-Us and pick out things. Laura would hook her arm through his and people would make comments about what a cute family they made.  Despite Laura’s laughter and teasing and Derek’s embarrassment, the statements did have some truth. They were family. And once again Derek felt relaxed. Happy even.

Erica was born four months later, bright eyed and loud. A couple months after that, the two packed up and headed back for Beacon Hills.

Derek stayed in New York just like he planned. The same routine fell back into place only with an extra face. Derek watched his niece grow up over short skype calls, hugged her a few times a year when they visited. He watched his sister age what seemed like years over a week’s time. But in the end the golden haired baby smiled, Laura smiled and Derek… Well he was happy too.

-x-

Thirteen years.

He got thirteen years of his pseudo bliss; thirteen years of happy phone calls and a surface life of his own. He lived for the visits, smiled when the calls came. His own life was muted. He had something to focus on. He let himself hope. His family would be okay. He would be okay.

It lasted thirteen years.

Derek’s cell phone screeched from the bed side table, playing some static version of “She Wolf”.  His first reaction was to grin, shaking his head at the ringtone Laura and Erica had set for the two of them, recording it straight from the car stereo on trip into Manhattan. His second reaction was confusion.

“It’s midnight.” He answered the phone with the statement, blinking back blurry vision. He expected Laura to snap back some comment about the time difference. Instead he got a choked sob.

“Un-uncle Derek,”

He was upright in an instant, all exhaustion leaving his body as he held the phone to his ear. “What is it? Erica? What is it?”

“Mom’s hurt.”

Derek had promised himself more than eighteen years ago he would never go back to Beacon Hills. He would never step foot in that town again. That night he booked a flight, shelling out the extra cash to get one as soon as possible.

The next afternoon he was renting a car to drive from the airport.

Only a few hours later he was in Beacon Hills Hospital.

And he was still too late.


	2. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took forever guys. Work has been drilling me into the ground and I had wanted to get this out on Monday on the latest actually but I spent all weekend and the beginning of the week in bed recovering from a car accident >_> But anyway here's the next chapter. It's actually like twice as long as the first orz and we're looking at having a couple more than three chapters before the end. So yay? I think this is a good thing right? Anyway next chapter we'll get to see a lot more with Erica's schooling and readjusting to that along with some plot points and a meeting where Stiles doesn't almost kill someone :'D

He’d never been to a funeral. With the fire there was nothing to bury and, in truth, he and Laura hadn’t stayed more than a couple of days. Enough to know Peter wasn’t waking up. The idea was a strange one to him. He knew he would miss her. He knew she was dead. Erica knew she’d never speak with her mother again. Never see her laugh. Why did they need to be reminded? Couldn’t they just go home and grieve in privacy?

But Laura had friends in Beacon Hills. She was well liked and even on the PTA despite her daughter’s original whining that it would be embarrassing. There were people who wanted to say their proper goodbyes; pay their respects.

Derek didn’t see anything respectful in a crowd of people watching her be lowered into the ground.

“This is stupid,” Erica growled, curling her hands into fist and uncurling them. She stood next to Derek with narrowed eyes and stared at the flowers placed on the wooden coffin. “This fucking stupid.”

He didn’t even have the energy to tell the girl to watch her mouth.

Hell; he even agreed with her.

The days leading up to the funeral had been a blur of paperwork. With her real father nowhere to be found, Derek was appointed the thirteen year old’s guardian. A week ago he was Uncle Derek, seen three times a year top. And now? He was thrown into the position of surrogate parent to a girl who he hardly knew.

More than anything— fear, anxiety, panic—the urge to run was the strongest.

It pumped through him and made his muscles itch. He wanted to run away; escape this forced situation. He wanted his sister back. He wanted his parents back. He wanted Erica to grow up with a real family. He wanted to run and take Erica with him. He would take her out of this cursed town and back to New York. Maybe even further. They could run away to London or Russia. Hell! They could go anywhere that wasn’t Beacon fucking Hills, California. Then maybe he could breathe. Maybe the weight on his chest that appeared when he first got the call would lighten. Maybe then the shadow of what happened years ago with Kate would stop eating away at his daily life. He could get Erica out. He could make a new life for them.

“When are you going to send for you stuff?” His niece’s voice brought him out of his thoughts. Derek blinked down at her, watching as she grabbed her jacket from one of the folding chairs. The jacket used to be Laura’s—a gift for her fourteenth birthday when she went through a rocker phase. Derek didn’t even know she had kept it, but Erica slid it on like it belonged only to her. He looked away, noticing that the coffin had already been lowered and people were starting to leave.

“You’re coming back to New York with me.”

“Like hell I am.” She turned on him and Derek realized the girl was almost up to his shoulder. He blinked, catching the slight flash of gold as she tried to control herself. Erica swallowed before he could even growl a warning, maintaining her thin control despite her eyes glazing with tears. “I’m not going anywhere. I have friends here. There’s nothing in New York!” She stopped, breathing deeply and slamming down the waves of despair. “I’m not going.”

Derek could make her. With Laura’s death he was the alpha. Even if he wasn’t, he was her legal guardian. She couldn’t even drive yet, what the hell would she do? He could make her go with him to New York. Instead he sighed, placing a hand on the back of her neck and grounding her.

“Okay.”

That was that.

-x-

Derek did in fact take Erica back to New York. It wasn’t until after at least an hour of yelling from the teen, her stomping up into her room and another thirty minutes of loud rock music screaming from her room that he managed to calm her enough to let her know it was only for a couple of days. They would fly out, Derek and Erica would pack up his apartment and hire some movers and then they’d drive back in the Camaro. The drive would take at least a couple of days and they could stay longer if Erica wanted to see the city. He had gotten a message from the school counselor that it was understandable if Erica needed some time away from school.

She narrowed her eyes at him. “So we’re not staying?”

“No.” He replied, rubbing his temples and attempting to bite back annoyance from the music still blasting from Erica’s speakers.

“Oh…”

“Yeah.”

There was a heavy silence before Erica finally looked up with a faint attempt at a smile.

“So can we hit Time Square? Maybe catch a show? You did get me time off school after all. Better not waste it on something as dumb and mundane as physical labor.” She huffed, flipping her blonde curls back over her shoulder.

Derek shrugged weakly. He wasn’t sure what they would do when they got to New York. It wouldn’t take long at all to pack up the apartment, maybe a day if he worked from morning until dark. Maybe before dinner if he got Erica to lift a finger. As for the drive back, Derek could do it in three days. He hadn’t been sleeping much anyway.

“Cool!” She replied before slamming the door and thankfully lowering the music.

So the next morning he took a cab to the airport, bringing along the duffle he’d brought from New York in the first place. He looked at it sadly, remembering he had only planned to stay a couple nights, until he knew Laura was alright before heading back. Now he was going for the rest because Laura was gone.

Derek chose not to comment on Erica’s small bag either, merely raised an eyebrow, remembering her later prodding about New York and what they could do there. She seemed to sense the stare and returned it. She definitely had the Hale way of communicating wordlessly. He huffed in reply and placed a hand on her shoulder.

Erica seemed to tense for a moment before shrinking against his side. The action surprised them both, earning a few approving glances from some onlooking mothers, who were practically cooing at the family.

They didn’t need to know how broken they actually were.

And if Erica fell asleep on the plane, shoving the arm rest up and curling into her uncle, resting her head on his shoulder? Well, no one needed to know that either.

-x-

Erica did help pack up.

When they walked into the loft she surveyed the room, looking for any changes since the time of their last visit. Looked for any signs of anyone other than Derek around. When she seemed satisfied she pulled her hair up into a pony tail and set to work.

Derek grabbed some boxes, along with packing tape and began putting them together. Erica grabbed the first one he taped and began tossing a mix of old text books and his own personal favorites in haphazardly.

“If you do it neatly, you’ll have more room.” Derek reprimanded with a groan.

“We don’t need room. There’s hardly anything here.” She replied breezily, moving to the next shelf. Instead of replying, he stalked off to the bedroom to start packing his clothing, muttering under his breath as he did. Like a real adult.

For the most part they worked in silence, letting time pass with their own thoughts.

Derek took a sort of comfort in the quiet; he didn’t know Erica. He _hardly_ knew her anyway. Laura, he had grown up with. Eighteen years of being with the woman. Erica-- her own daughter-- Derek had seen maybe a total of a month over the last thirteen years. He was going to be taking care of complete stranger. Pack or not, family or not, he knew nothing. He didn’t know how to be a parent. He didn’t know how to be an alpha. He didn’t know what to do or where to go.

And now? He wasn’t alone anymore. It should have been a good thing. It should have been comforting and refreshing.

Instead it was terrifying.

-x-

The trip to New York was a lot shorter than Derek had originally planned. They packed within a night and were back on the road by noon the next day. Erica had insisted on it. Despite her original jokes and ideas she didn’t have any plans to stick around for longer than necessary. Had no desire to see a Broadway show or shop around Time Square. She just wanted to get back to California. It was bit unsettling how well she seemed to be handling the whole event. No fits of rage of self-loathing. She wore a strong face just as Laura had the first time. She remained bright and full of smiles and quick wit. The weakness of grief seemed to be somewhere far behind her while she was awake.

It happened a few times on their four day trip back.

Derek had planned to drive straight through. New York to California, with a couple of stops in between for food and gas? They could be home within three days. Erica could sleep in the car and Derek? Well… he would live. Maybe it was a twisted attempt at punishment that he go without sleep since Laura was dead. He didn’t try and reason with his thoughts anymore. And despite her initial huff of protest, Erica had curled up against the passenger side window and was fast asleep within thirty minutes. He exhaled a breath he didn’t even realize he had been holding, reaching to turn off the car radio, choosing instead to listen to the quiet sounds of speeding cars and his niece breathing steady in the seat next to him. He glanced over at her with a small sigh, reaching out and brushing a hand through her hair before returning it to the wheel. They would manage. The Hale woman were strong. And if she was like her mother? She’d be more than okay.

He nodded to himself with this idea and turned his eyes back to the road.

Three hours later something changed.

Derek wasn’t sure what made him catch the change first-- her increased heart rate, the hitch in breathing, or the small shake in her shoulders.

“Eri--“

“NO!” The girl lunged forward, eyes golden as they shot open and ears curved to a point. He didn’t even realize her clawed hands until she reached out for purchase, digging four elongated nails into his thighs, the hand ripping the car’s seat. Derek swerved at the initial shock, bringing them off towards the shoulder with a screech of tires.

“Erica!” His voice wasn’t a yell yet but it was a strong, firm growl, eyes gleaming red as he turned on her. “Wake up.”

The blonde flinched, sitting up straight in the car seat and looking around lazily. She flexed her fingers as if she wasn’t sure what was happening yet, the claws buried into his skin, digging deeper. Realization hit and she pulled back quickly. “I-I…”

“It’s okay.” Derek sighed in relief when she yanked her hand back, breathing heavily before the skin started to knit itself back into place.

Erica whined quietly, shrinking back against the passenger side and shivering. Derek wasn’t sure if it was panic from whatever nightmare she’d been snapped out of or fear from him. He frowned at the second option, scrubbing his hands across his face. “I did… I didn’t mean to Derek… I got scared!”

“Erica, its fine,”

“You sure? It was an accident… I didn’t… Had a nightma-“

“Erica,” Derek cut her short, putting one hand on the wheel he pulled back onto the highway.  He waited until they were back on the road before continuing, glad that the teen stayed quiet until then. “It happens Erica.”

“Mom was…”

“Erica. It happens.”

“She said you had ‘em…” Her voice was weak, uncertain and laced with guilt. Derek couldn’t tell if it was for clawing his leg open or for what she was about to say. “She said you had nightmares. About the fire… and…”

“We’re going to stop in a hotel.”

“Why?”

“So you can sleep in an actual bed,” So he could pretend to sleep, staring at the ceiling and wonder how the hell this was going to work. Wonder how the hell he was going to be anything close to a parent. “Then we’ll go in the morning.”

“That’ll take forever!” She huffed, though she seemed to rethink it a second later. “I mean… yeah let’s go. There was a motel six-“

“Almost three hundred miles ago.”

Erica blinked, before shrugging the comment off with a flip of her hair. “There will be another one soon.

She couldn’t sleep in the car. No matter how many times Erica swore she’d be fine, Erica would fall asleep only to wake up and repeat the same clawed fiasco as the first time.

Derek assumed maybe it was some form of PTSD. His family burned alive and now he had a problem with the smell of smoke and fires. Erica’s mother had died in something the police referred to as a freak car accident- and now Erica couldn’t sleep in cars.

It made sense. It was one of the only things about her death that did make sense. But that… was a mystery for another day.

-x-x-x-

It ended up taking them five days to get home. They’d pulled into Beacon Hills around ten on Wednesday night and Erica, muttering something about gross motel showers and beds as she went, walked right inside no doubt heading for the shower. Derek stayed on the driveway for a moment longer, watching the house like it may bite him if he got too close.

This was Laura’s home. Her daughter, her house, her life he was stomping all over and setting up camp in. He didn’t know the elderly woman who waved at them when they pulled up the drive, he didn’t know any of the neighbors. He knew nothing. He was a guest. Hell after all the years away, he hardly knew the town.

So he ran.

His keys still in his pocket and phone in the car, Derek took off towards the tree line, running at full speed and trying to get away from …whatever. To say he was scared was an understatement. Saying he felt more like a trapped animal—well that was the truth. He needed to get away and breathe. He needed to run and keep running until he couldn’t anymore. His lungs ached and his chest heaved as he pushed himself farther, the acidic taste of bile rising up in his throat as he did. Derek had no idea where he was going or when he was going to stop. This? This had to be some nightmare. Some awful dream that if he kept running he could wake up  _fro-_

His thought process was interrupted by the screech of tires. Derek stopped c old in his tracks, not even realizing he had cut into the road.  Derek’s muscles seemed to lock up with the sudden surprise, leaving him wide eyed as he stared down a pair of headlights. The sound of a panicked heartbeat was echoing in his ears, making his head ache and his stomach knot. He couldn’t stop. He had to keep running.

Instead he doubled over and threw up.

“Dude!” Someone was shouting. The car’s engine had shut off and he could hear the slam of a car door as he tried to regain some sense of balance. “Did you get hit?”

Instead of answering Derek dropped to his knees, backing away from the puddle of stomach bile and spit. He hadn’t bothered eating in a while and the burn in his throat made him thankful for that. At least he had nothing in his stomach… Still his chest was heaving and two heartbeats were pounding. It was too loud. Too much. He needed to get back on his feet and run. He needed to get away.

“From what?” Derek blinked, brought back to himself by whoever was hovering over him. He squeezed his eyes shut, hoping desperately the red would edge out of his eyes before he opened them again. “Still with me? I didn’t hit you did I? God damn! You came out of no where and I ju--“

“Shut up,” The words came out more strangled than he would have thought, catching on the sore, raw inside of his throat. “Just…be quiet.”

“No need to be snappy. I didn’t do shit, man. Well other than almost smack you with my car… Why were you running anywa--“

Derek growled again, not bothering to hide the slight animalistic edge in it. The voice shrunk back, heart picking back up. Whoever was standing over him- their panic wasn’t making him any calmer. If anything it was setting him on edge all over again.

“Just calm down,” He pushed himself up to his feet, brushing himself off.

“Me calm down? Look man, you’re the one jumping in front of cars and puking. You’re the one who fucking growli--“

“Stiles?”

A third voice? Derek perked up, surprised that he hadn’t heard the other. But hell he hadn’t even heard the car.

“Scott, just wait in the car,”

“What the hell is a Stiles…?”

He was calming down, oddly enough. Derek squinted past the headlights, glancing at the pair. The one who had just gotten out of the car—Scott—was a short boy, a mess of curly hair on his head and a dopey look of confusion on his face. He couldn’t have been older than Erica, shifting awkwardly in a lacrosse jersey that looked almost two sizes too big. He was glancing nervously between Derek and the other man.

The driver of the car was only an inch shorter than Derek. The layers of plaid he wore made him look younger than he possibly was, made his body look thin and breakable. The expression on his face was battling between annoyance, anger and shock, unsure what to do. He fidgeted in the silence, scratching his chin and dodging his eyes away from Derek.

“Is he okay? Did we hit him?” Scott was bouncing on his heels, breaking the quiet.

He shook his head, breaking whatever stupor had fallen over him. He looked over Derek before sighing, placing a hand on his chest. Derek could hear the pounding of his heart begin to slow.

“No. He’s fine.” It was said with relief. “Grumpy. But fine.”

Derek huffed.

“Shit man. Why were you running in the road at ten at night?” Scott was laughing as he asked, seeming to be moving past the stage of shock of almost hitting someone and into amusement.

“Scott. Back. In. The. Car. And watch your language!” They exchanged looks for a moment before Scott finally rolled his eyes, tossing his hands up in the air with an expression that seemed to say  _‘why do I put up with you’_  and walked back into the car, slamming the door behind him.

“I’m really fine. You didn’t hit me.” Derek mumbled, exhaustion seeming to hit him suddenly. He had no idea how long he had been running. Hell he hardly knew where he was now. But it seemed the days had finally caught up with him and now he wanted nothing more than to sleep.

“Are you sure? You look like you’re going to faint…”

Derek glanced back to the man -- Stiles? What the hell kind of name was that—and raised an eyebrow. The action didn’t seem to reassure Stiles at all however and he pressed on.

“Look… I almost hit you and then you puked and growled and now you’re just… Standing there… Brooding? Yeah brooding. Did someone like kick your dog or something?”

“I said I’m fine. You didn’t hit me.” Derek’s patience was running thin, unsure how to even deal with the kid’s (man’s?) ramblings. “I’m alive.”

The statement wasn’t exactly one he took pleasure in at the moment… And Stiles seemed to catch that.

“Do you want…Do you want me to give you a lift somewhere?”

“I…?” Derek looked around, glancing down the street for some sort of familiarity. None came.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” Stiles beamed, clapping his hands together like it was final. “I’ll take you… where ever. And then I can sleep at night knowing I helped the guy I almost killed.” He turned, walking back towards the car. “It’s settled.”

Derek wanted to argue. He really did. He didn’t need favors from strangers. He didn’t need anyone to see how weak and distraught he was. But instead he sighed, walking towards the car.

Scott scrambled out of the passenger side door, leaving it open and glancing at Derek once more. He smiled, eyes wide and friendly. “I’m Scott.” He thrust out his hand for Derek who merely blinked. Though… it would be polite. They were helping him.

“Derek,” He replied in a gruff tone, shaking the teen’s hand quickly. The boy smiled wider (was that even possible? God he was like a puppy) and hurried in to the back seat of the jeep.

“So where am I taking you, Derek?”  Stiles asked once all the doors were closed and the keys in the ignition.

“Do you know where Lincoln Street is?”

“Yup! Is that where we’re heading?”

Derek nodded, leaning his head against the window. He could feel two pairs of eyes on him, but after a few moments the car rumbled to life and began to move.

Running hadn’t worked. Derek should have known it wasn’t going to work. He should have known he couldn’t leave, couldn’t run off the fear, the panic, the anger or the confusion. He should have known. The idea that he had tried? It disappointed him. He wanted to break something just out of spite. But instead—twenty seconds, twenty minutes later he wasn’t sure—the car was rolling to a stop.

“So where from here--“

“You can just stop here.” Derek was already unbuckling his seatbelt, getting ready to make his escape. He was stopped once again, a hand on his arm. He jerked back after only an instant of touch, recoiling into the car door and stifling another snarl.

“I uh--“

“I’ll walk the rest of the way.”

“Yeah sure…” Stiles replied weakly, letting his hand drop on to the center console and looking at Derek. The gaze was uncomfortable and Derek wasn’t sure why.

“Thank you.”

“Yeah… No problem.”

Derek got out of the car with a nod, shutting the door and not looking back towards the window. He wanted to get away again-- the urge to run edging back up into his bones. Instead he waited for the jeep to pull away, waited for the sounds of the engine and the pair of heartbeats to disappear down the road.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for sticking out and reading with me guys. Thanks again to my amazing beta Jesserfly. You can find me on tumblr at ohno-w0lves.
> 
> P.s: If these chapters were named after what I send them to Jess to beta this one would be called "DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG THIS SHIT IS?"

**Author's Note:**

> And there we go. Like ripping a band aid off. Got all the background and (most of the) pain stuff out of the way. This fic was meant to be a one shot but now it'll probably be a couple of chapters followed various one shots fitting the verse. So yay. This part was really meant to be short. The other parts will probably (hopefully, fingers crossed) be longer  
> I need to go back and finish up White Washed but I've been brain blocked for the longest.


End file.
